Published: Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 4:28 p.m.

She was born on Aug. 15, 1917, to Arthur and Dollie Abell in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Lake Erie College for two years and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, E. Charles Curtis in 1985, and by her husband of 11 years Philip Cronkhite, who died in 2001.

She lived in the Cleveland area, in Peoria, Ill., and moved to Hendersonville in 1980.

<p>Elda Virginia Curtis Cronkhite, 92, passed away on Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, at the Medical Center of Carolina Village in Hendersonville.</p><p>She was born on Aug. 15, 1917, to Arthur and Dollie Abell in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Lake Erie College for two years and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.</p><p>She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, E. Charles Curtis in 1985, and by her husband of 11 years Philip Cronkhite, who died in 2001. </p><p>She lived in the Cleveland area, in Peoria, Ill., and moved to Hendersonville in 1980.</p><p>Virginia is survived by her daughter, Diane Gregory (Thomas B.), of Bloomington, Ind.; two sons, Robert Curtis, of Diamond Bar, Calif., and Gary Curtis (Marlene), of Laguna Niguel, California; grandchildren Thomas A. Gregory (Lynn) of Bethesda, Maryland, Robert D. Gregory of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Michael Curtis of Riverside, Calif., Danielle Curtis, of New York City, Drew Curtis, of Hartford, Ct., Hayley Curtis and Rebecca Curtis, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and two great- grandchildren, Ian Gregory and Evelyn Gregory, of Bethesda, Md. </p><p>Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, at Wade Chapel, Lakeview Cemetery, in Cleveland, Ohio. Internment will follow in the cemetery. </p><p>There will be no local services in Hendersonville. </p><p>An online register book is available at www.thosshepherd.com.</p><p>Thos. Shepherd & Son and Brown-Forward Funeral Service in Shaker Heights, Ohio, are in charge of arrangements. </p>